Schladming-Dachstein; An Entire Town Becomes A Theater

Guests of the Styrian tourist region of Schladming-Dachstein will be treated to a very special kind of play over the coming weeks, when an entire town becomes a theater stage.

• The largest amateur theater in the Alpine region is only performed every few years
• The focus of the plot surrounding “The Wedding” is a historical event about Archduke Johann

The Öblarn Festival “The Wedding” is the largest amateur theater in the Alpine region and is only performed every five to six years. The picturesque market square in the town of Öblarn serves as the natural backdrop, where the church, the lord's office, the rectory and the church innkeeper form a theater arena that no longer requires any technical aids. Over 300 residents take part in the play as amateur actors and play their own ancestors in traditional costume.

The successful premiere took place at the weekend, and tickets are still available for more of the eleven performances. All information online at www.festspiel.at . The focus of the plot is Archduke Johann, who was actually a guest in Öblarn in 1821 as the best man for the caretaker of Gstatt and used the wedding as an opportunity to meet his sweetheart Anna Plochl, the postmaster's daughter from Aussee. The audience is taken by around 300 amateur actors into the colorful hustle and bustle on the Öblarn church square. 

The diverse conversations revolve around politics, the worries and needs of the population and of course also the secret love of Anna and the Archduke. Not everything goes as planned when the wedding procession with the Archduke appears, but fortunately he is spared. When jugglers also turn up in the village, the production seems to be in danger. But eventually calm returns - Archduke Johann and Anna meet and find a little time to talk to each other.

Before the premiere, there was months of diligent rehearsal, dancing, music and singing. The costumes and props of the time allow the audience to look 200 years into the past. Many Öblarn residents also play their own ancestors.

As in 2018, the director is Bernhard Wohlfahrter, a native of Ennstal. +++ Performances every Friday and Saturday from July 6 to August 10, 2024 Ticket prices: Category 1: 69 euros Category 2: 59 euros